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6* Silversea Greece & Italy

Is there any place on earth more spellbinding than Greece and Italy in late spring? Inspiring artists and writers for years, these shores are imbued with tangible history that will raise the soul and fill your heart. Encapsulating golden shores and timeless beauty with dazzling architecture, gastronomy and the cultural arts, this is a journey for poets and lovers alike.

This stunning 6* cruise from Piraeus, near Athens, passes through the breathtaking Corinth Canal and visits Kefalonia, Syracuse & Trapani in Sicily, Valetta in Malta, and Sorrento in Italy before reaching Civitavecchia near Rome. This fantastic offer includes three nights in a 5-star hotel in Athens pre-cruise.

Is there any place on earth more spellbinding than Greece and Italy in late spring? Inspiring artists and writers for years, these shores are imbued with tangible history that will raise the soul and fill your heart. Encapsulating golden shores and timeless beauty with dazzling architecture, gastronomy and the cultural arts, this is a journey for poets and lovers alike.

Flight Times:

OUTBOUND

TBA

RETURN

TBA

Day to Day Itinerary:

Day 1-3:Athens, Greece: 5* Hotel Overnight.

After your flight to Athens, you will be transferred to the 5* hotel for your three-night stay before your cruise.

It’s no wonder that all roads lead to the fascinating and maddening metropolis of Athens. Lift your eyes 200 feet above the city to the Parthenon, its honey-color marble columns rising from a massive limestone base, and you behold architectural perfection that has not been surpassed in 2,500 years. But, today, this shrine of classical form dominates a 21st-century boomtown. To experience Athens—Athína in Greek—fully is to understand the essence of Greece: ancient monuments surviving in a sea of cement, startling beauty amid the squalor, tradition juxtaposed with modernity. Locals depend on humour and flexibility to deal with the chaos; you should do the same. The rewards are immense.

Day 4:Piraeus (Athens), Greece: Depart 18.00

This morning, after breakfast at your hotel, you will be collected and transferred to the dock to board the magnificent 6* Silversea Silver Wind. You will have the day to settle in and explore the facilities on board before your ship departs this evening through the Corinth Canal.

A breathtaking and bucket list experience, crossing the Corinth Canal is the stuff of dreams. From a distance, this small crack in the coastline is unnoticeable, however as you drawn nearer, the impossible seems about to happen. As your eye is drawn down the stretch of the 4-mile traverse, the inevitable “will we, won’t we” manage to squeeze through the 20-metre gap thrill becomes unavoidable.

Day 5:Argostoli, Kefalonia: Arrive 12.00 Depart 22.00

Ground literally to ashes in World War II and wracked by a massive earthquake a decade later, the capital of Kefalonia once more shows pride in its native spirit and natural beauty. The vast harbour on Argostoli’s east side makes an especially attractive port for cruise ships full of visitors who never seem to tire of strolling the cobbled seaside promenade, sipping ouzos in cafés, and stocking up on the succulent Mediterranean fruits in the outdoor markets.

Day 6-7: Syracuse, Greece: Arrive 18.00 Overnight Depart 23.00

Siracusa, known to English speakers as Syracuse, is a wonder to behold. One of the great ancient capitals of Western civilisation, the city was founded in 734 BC by Greek colonists from Corinth and soon grew to rival, and even surpass, Athens in splendour and power. It became the largest, wealthiest city-state in the West and a bulwark of Greek civilisation. Although Siracusa lived under tyranny, rulers such as Dionysius filled their courts with Greeks of the highest cultural stature—among them the playwrights Aeschylus and Euripides, and the philosopher Plato.

Day 8:Valetta, Malta: Arrive 08.00 Depart 18.00

Malta’s capital, the mini city of Valletta, has ornate palaces and museums protected by massive fortifications of honey-color limestone. Houses along the narrow streets have overhanging wooden balconies for people-watching from indoors. Generations ago they gave housebound women a window on the world of the street. The main entrance to town is through the City Gate (where all bus routes end), which leads onto Triq Repubblika (Republic Street), the spine of the grid-pattern city and the main shopping street. Triq Mercante (Merchant Street) parallels Repubblika to the east and is also good for strolling. From these two streets, cross streets descend toward the water; some are stepped.

Day 9:Trapani, Sicily, Italy: Arrive 08.00 Depart 19.00

Trapani, the most important town on Sicily’s west coast, lies below the headland of Mount Erice and offers stunning views of the Egadi Islands on a clear day. Trapani’s Old District occupies a scimitar-shaped promontory between the open sea on the north and the salt marshes to the south. The ancient industry of extracting salt from the marshes has recently been revived, and it is documented in the Museo delle Saline. In addition to the salt marshes, Trapani’s other interesting environs include the beautiful little hill town of Erice, the promontory of Capo San Vito stretching north beyond the splendid headland of Monte Cofano, the lovely island of Motya and the town of Marsala.

Day 10:Lipari, Sicily, Italy: Arrive 08.00 Depart 20.00

The largest and most developed of the Aeolians, Lipari welcomes you with distinctive pastel-color houses. Fields of spiky agaves dot the northernmost tip of the island, Acquacalda, indented with pumice and obsidian quarries. In the west is San Calogero, where you can explore hot springs and mud baths. From the red-lava base of the island rises a plateau-crowned with a 16th-century castle and a 17th-century cathedral.

Day 11-12: Sorrento, Italy: Arrive 08.00 Overnight Depart 18.00

Sorrento may have become a jumping-off point for visitors to Pompeii, Capri, and Amalfi, but you can find countless reasons to love it for itself. The Sorrentine people are fair-minded and hardworking, bubbling with life and warmth. The tuff cliff on which the town rests is spread over the bay, absorbing sunlight, while orange and lemon trees waft their perfume in spring. Winding along a cliff above a small beach and two harbours, the town is split in two by a narrow ravine formed by a former mountain stream. To the east, dozens of hotels line busy Via Correale along the cliff—many have “grand” included in their names, and some indeed still are. To the west, however, is the historic sector, which still enchants.

Day 13:Civitavecchia, Italy: Arrive 08.00

Following breakfast on your final day, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight home to Ireland.

3 nights in a 5* Athens hotel pre-cruise with breakfast (call for details).

9-nights on board the 6* Silversea Silver Wind.

Al fresco dining with panoramic ocean views. Warm clubby spaces for evening cocktails with friends. The plush comfort of your ocean-view suite after a day of incredible sights. Welcome home to the luxury cruise ship, Silver Wind.